DrugRehab.com provides information regarding illicit and prescription drug
addiction, the various populations at risk for the disease, current statistics and trends, and
psychological disorders that often accompany addiction. You will also find information on spotting
the signs and symptoms of substance use and hotlines for immediate assistance.
Treatment for addiction takes many forms and depends on the needs of the individual.
In accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, we offer information on
outcome-oriented treatment that adheres to an established continuum of care. In this section, you
will find information and resources related to evidence-based treatment models, counseling and
therapy and payment and insurance options.
Treatment for addiction takes many forms and depends on the needs of the
individual. In accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, we offer
information on outcome-oriented treatment that adheres to an established continuum of
care. In this section, you will find information and resources related to evidence-based
treatment models, counseling and therapy and payment and insurance options.
The recovery process doesn't end after 90 days of treatment. The transition back to
life outside of rehab is fraught with the potential for relapse. Aftercare resources such as
12-step groups, sober living homes and support for family and friends promote a life rich with
rewarding relationships and meaning.
Our community offers unique perspectives on lifelong recovery and substance use
prevention, empowering others through stories of strength and courage. From people in active
recovery to advocates who have lost loved ones to the devastating disease of addiction, our
community understands the struggle and provides guidance born of personal experience.
Experiences during childhood may have a lasting impact. A new study published in the journal Pediatrics followed youth from three major metropolitan areas to determine if bullying had long-term effects on substance use.
“Youth who experienced more frequent peer victimization in fifth grade had a greater likelihood of substance use by 10th grade,” Dr. Valerie Earnshaw, the study’s lead author, told DrugRehab.com. “That included alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use. We also found that depressive symptoms helped to explain that association.”
The study does not prove that bullying causes depression or that depressive symptoms lead to substance use, but it does show a strong link between experiences and behaviors. Earnshaw and her colleagues were surprised at the strength of their findings, which supported the association between peer victimization and increased use of three substances. Trends were similar for boys and girls.
Previous research on bullying and drug abuse has shown that people involved in bullying behavior are more likely to use drugs than people who aren’t exposed to bullying. Bullies themselves are more likely to use substances of abuse than bully victims.
Many studies have examined the experiences of youth during one point in time. Earnshaw and her team were interested in examining the long-term experiences of youth.
Her study used data from a survey sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those researchers followed students from Los Angeles County, Houston and Birmingham, Alabama.
From fifth grade to 10th grade, nearly 4,300 youth answered questions about their behaviors and experiences on three separate occasions.
“Youth who were experiencing more peer victimization in fifth grade were reporting more depressive symptoms by seventh grade, and those depressive symptoms were associated with greater likelihood of using alcohol, marijuana and tobacco in 10th grade,” Earnshaw said.
The study supports the theory that some people use alcohol or other drugs to self-medicate unpleasant feelings. Students who were victimized in fifth grade may have developed feelings of depression in seventh grade and started using substances to cope with those feelings by 10th grade.
Analyzing a Vulnerable Time in Adolescence
Early teenage years are a significant time period in a person’s life. In general, rates of depression go up as people enter adolescence, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Teens are also more likely to use alcohol or other drugs as they get older. Compared with eighth-graders, more than twice as many 10th-graders reported current use of any illicit drug in 2016, per the Monitoring the Future Study.
“Rates of bullying tend to peak in elementary school and then decrease,” Earnshaw said. “On the other hand, substance use tends to go up over time.”
In Earnshaw’s study, children who had been victimized were much more likely to use drugs than children who hadn’t been victimized by peers. Children who said they weren’t 100 percent heterosexual or were not attracted only to members of the opposite sex were also more likely to be bullied in fifth grade and use substances in 10th grade.
“A lot of young people by fifth grade may not have developed a strong identity about their sexual orientation, but by 10th grade some of them have,” Earnshaw said. “We think that maybe these youth were displaying some counter-gender behaviors as children, and their peers might have been picking on them or bullying them for that.”
In 2015, members of the LGBTQ+ population were more than twice as likely as heterosexual Americans to use illicit drugs, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Previous research indicates that sexual minorities may use alcohol or other drugs to cope with bullying, harassment and homophobia.
Earnshaw hopes the study’s findings will help pediatricians, educators and parents understand the impact of peer victimization on youth. She’s also interested in studying why victimization impacts children more than adults and whether teens and adults become more resilient to the effects of bullying as they age.
Medical Disclaimer: DrugRehab.com aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
Chris Elkins worked as a journalist for three years and was published by multiple newspapers and online publications. Since 2015, he’s written about health-related topics, interviewed addiction experts and authored stories of recovery. Chris has a master’s degree in strategic communication and a graduate certificate in health communication.
Miech, R.A. et al. (2017, June). Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2016: Volume I, Secondary School Students. Retrieved from #
Calls will be answered by a qualified admissions representative with Advanced Recovery Systems (ARS), the owners of DrugRehab.com. We look forward to helping you!
Phone calls to treatment center listings not associated with ARS will go directly to those centers. DrugRehab.com and ARS are not responsible for those calls.
